Chapter 37: So, Let the Game Begin?

In the intense battle, "Flip Garden's First Breakthrough Bull Tu Tu" ultimately lost two out of three rounds and was defeated by "Bald-headed Teenager from Bear Ridge."

After four matches in the first stage, four winners emerged, and Fujitani Nisuke was among them.

"Who do you think will become the champion?"

"It's probably Fujitani Nisuke. Among the players controlling the 'Kamen Rider,' his skills are the best I've seen."

"He feels like he's the actual 'Kamen Rider' character himself. Is it an illusion?"

"Don't exaggerate. I didn't see that."

As the competition progressed, discussions among the audience about the eventual champion became more intense.

During the ten-minute break, the three winners adjusted their states, and Fujitani Nisuke went to a secluded area and lit a cigarette.

Then, the second stage of the competition began, and the commentator took the stage again to randomly select the opponents.

"The next matchup is between..."

With a wave of the commentator's hand, the screen behind him displayed the corresponding player information, causing an uproar in the crowd.

"—'Bald-headed Teenager from Bear Ridge' versus 'I am Superman Strong,' Fujitani Nisuke versus 'Pure Love Dinosaur War God'!"

After an hour, the tense and fierce semifinals concluded, and two winners emerged.

One was the "Bald-headed Teenager from Bear Ridge," and the other was Fujitani Nisuke. After a ten-minute halftime break, the final match immediately began.

"Go, Lumberjack Big Brother!"

"Don't lose, Kamen Rider!"

After approximately thirty minutes, the screen displayed only the avatar of one player, while the avatars of the other seven players darkened.

"Let's congratulate Fujitani Nisuke for becoming the champion of this year's Super Invincible Passionate Battle Emperor Championship!"

The arena erupted in a colorful burst of confetti, and amid enthusiastic cheers, Fujitani Nisuke came to the center of the stage, where the commentator awarded him the exclusive championship badge.

"Mr. Fujitani Nisuke, may I ask how long you've been involved in Battle Emperor?" The commentator held the microphone excitedly towards him.

The game information scrolled behind him as Fujitani Nisuke leaned his chin against his scruffy jaw, uncertainly replying, "Um... About a month, I think..."

"Ahaha, a naturally talented player is truly terrifying!" The commentator showed an expression of admiration. "Do you have any secrets? To have mastered Battle Emperor in just one month."

"Well... I guess you could say that." Fujitani Nisuke's tone became slightly more certain this time.

"Could you share it with us and the audience watching the live broadcast?" The commentator surveyed the competition venue.

After a brief pause, Fujitani Nisuke slowly spoke up, "In Z Country, there's an old saying..."

"Is it 'A wise man knows the time'?" The commentator half-jokingly interrupted.

"...No, it's not." Fujitani Nisuke shook his head lightly and then opened his search engine on his phone. "It goes something like... 'Reading about it is shallow, experiencing it firsthand is profound.'"

"Are you suggesting that no matter how much theoretical knowledge one learns about tactics, it can't compare to the time spent in diligent practice?" The commentator seemed to partially understand.

"What I mean is..." Fujitani Nisuke put away his phone and explained with an unchanged expression, "To become a Kamen Rider in real life."

"I can't tell. Are you a Kamen Rider cosplayer?" The commentator's eyes lit up.

"No..."

Fujitani Nisuke shrugged his shoulders, expressing a fatigue that made it seem as if he had just saved the world, and continued, "I am a Kamen Rider... not a cosplayer."

However, Fujitani Nisuke didn't actually say the part about being in debt due to a minister fleeing or having a restless night after saving a hijacked international flight.

...

...

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The Super Invincible Passionate Battle Emperor Championship has finally reached its most exciting stage!"

After the commentator completed a magnificent spin, he extended his arm powerfully, directing the audience's attention to Fujitani Nisuke's battle arena, and proclaimed loudly:

"As the champion of this year's Battle Emperor Cup, Mr. Fujitani Nisuke is now ready to face any challenge from all of you! The opportunity to face off against top-notch players is right before your eyes!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire venue instantly boiled over. Many casual players began to whisper and eagerly prepare themselves for the challenge.

"I'm in!"

"The former top-ranked 'Kamen Rider' on the national server is here to spar."

"I just want to defeat the champion, or perhaps, be defeated by the champion."

"Then let the first challenger step onto the stage!"

The commentator read the list of participants in his hand and signaled the start of the challenger phase.

The first player confidently took the stage.

Two minutes later.

The first player left the stage with a sense of regret.

Since this phase followed a single-round elimination format, and the challengers' skills had not reached the level of professional players...

Fujitani Nisuke only took forty minutes to defeat over a dozen casual players, winning each round flawlessly without any damage.

As the disappointed challengers left the stage, Fujitani Nisuke, although tired, still spoke with a slightly encouraging tone:

"Winning or losing is a common occurrence, don't be disheartened."

"Now, the last challenger is..." The commentator looked at the bottom of the registration list.

"—Mr. Alister, the former top-ranked player on the national server." The commentator hesitated for a moment, questioning whether he had read it correctly.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire venue fell silent for a moment before rising like waves, becoming noisy once again!

"Ah? The former top-ranked player on the Battle Emperor national server?!"

"Who is it? Where is he? Hmmm?!"

"I can't believe it, he's so young?!"

Amidst the uproar and discussions among the audience, Alister slightly lowered his black cap and walked onto the stage, passing by the commentator, and calmly took a seat across from Fujitani Nisuke.

Fujitani Nisuke took a sip of mineral water, showing considerable interest as he appraised the young challenger.

Following that, the commentator gestured to the director to switch the camera, and Alister's game profile was projected onto the live screen, displaying—

Everyone held their breath, and then their emotions became uncontrollable as they took out their phones to record.

"—Ranked 1st on the S18 Season Leaderboard."

The exclusive special effect title belonging to the top-ranked player, along with the incredible 100% win rate record, represented a height that ordinary Battle Emperor players could not reach.

"I didn't expect that we would have such a skilled player among us!" The commentator once again roused the emotions of the crowd. "Mr. Fujitani Nisuke seems to have found a worthy opponent!"

Alister, who had been waiting for his turn to play for a long time, adjusted the esports chair leisurely, locked eyes with Fujitani Nisuke, and proposed, "So, let the game begin?"

The news of a former top-ranked player challenging the Battle Emperor Cup champion quickly spread throughout the shopping center and the internet. Some of the spectators who had just watched the final came back.

The first and second floors of the shopping center were now crowded with a circle of spectators, who raised their phones and recorded this pinnacle showdown amid the heightened cheers.

Fujitani Nisuke naturally understood Alister's intention. With a slight upward curve of his lips, he sat up straight, casting off his desolation, and said expectantly, "Alright, let's begin the game."